The morning after the Night Before
by AlliBeth
Summary: Lisbon catches Jane napping the morning after her pancake date with Pike.
1. Chapter 1

Lisbon let out a yawn as she moved in the general direction of her desk, clutching her hot, strong coffee as though it was a lifeline.

She set the coffee firmly next to her computer, pulled an apple from her bag, and all but flopped into her chair, before doing a double take and looking behind her at the rumpled figure on the couch by the window.

"Jane?"

The whisper of his name made him stir a little, but didn't wake him.

Lisbon smiled. Jane was a bit like a young child. A world of trouble in his waking hours, but the picture of innocence in his current state of slumber. Who knew what sort of chaos he would cause today? She hoped not to be in the crosshairs, but she was sure her… date.. dinner… - she wasn't quite sure what to call it - with Marcus Pike would be difficult for him to resist.

Her choice was let him sleep now and possibly have him make a scene after her coworkers had arrived for the day, or wake him now and get it over with in relative privacy.

"Jane!" she called again, her decision well and truly made.

"Hmmm?" he opened one eye, giving her a quick glance before closing it again.

"What're you doing?"

Both eyes opened as he gave her a frustrated sigh, "Seriously, woman. I know you've seen me napping on my couch before.."

"But why? Why didn't you go home last night?" She wanted to add 'Now that you have the luxury of that tin can of yours', but thought better of it. Provoking him would just be asking for trouble.

"Late night… tea, eggs, good company... Pie. Lots of pie. Wiley could give Rigsby a run for his money. Cho was suitably disgusted. He yawned and stretched, before giving her a pointed look. "You're not the only one who can go out to celebrate after a case."

Jane immediately regretted the snappy tone when he saw her face fall, clearing his throat uncomfortably, "More importantly, what are you doing here, disturbing my nap at…" he looked at his watch "6.30 in the morning."

"Work," she sighed, getting up from her seat, pushing his legs out of the way and sitting at the end of the couch.

"Because you need to save the world before the sun comes up..."

"Something like that."

They fell into a comfortable silence. Jane glancing at Lisbon every now and then.

She couldn't have been out all that late with Pike if she was in the office so early. That was a plus.

Then again, maybe… He decided not to let his thoughts go there.

She went and ate pancakes. Then she went home. Alone.

She was that kind of girl. He really didn't need to worry too much. Yet.

Then again.. Mashburn…

This line of thought was going to drive him crazy.

"I see you brought breakfast," he pointed in the direction of the coffee and apple.

"I feel like mainlining coffee today - it's been a big few days."

He nodded, smiled and tried to build up the courage to give her some sort of indication that he was a viable alternative to Pike.

"So… since breakfast is taken care of, how about we grab lunch later?"

"I'd love to, but I have plans," Lisbon told him.

His face was a picture of disappointment and rejection for just a fraction of a second, but it was long enough for Lisbon to see his reaction. She immediately knew his thoughts had jumped to Pike.

"With Fischer," she clarified quickly, "I'm having lunch with Fischer."

"Hmmm," he said, relief crossing his features for a moment before the reality of the two of them catching up and their possible topic of conversation hit him. "Girl talk?"

Lisbon smirked, "If by girl talk you mean cop talk, then yes."

At his sleepy, confused expression, she continued. "She's giving a lecture at the academy tonight. Wanted to pick my brain on Red John before she flies out"

Jane scoffed, "She wants to talk to you about Red John? Why not ask the man who ended him?"

"Because," Lisbon said with a smile "she wants simple, honest police work. Not your grandiose stories. These kids can do without Boy's Own adventures by Patrick Jane. They need to know just how mundane real detective work can be."

"Meh - how do you people expect to keep these future Feds interested if you don't tell them the good stuff?" Jane asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"If they're supposed to be Feds, the reality will be interesting enough for them," Lisbon insisted. "The FBI can barely cope with one Patrick Jane. We don't need your minions running around messing with people's heads and causing reams of paperwork."

She had a point. Besides, he liked the notoriety of being the FBI's serial killer killing, former fugitive mentalist. He didn't need competition from a group of young guns.

The silence set in again, both of them leaning back and Lisbon closing her eyes with a sigh.

"I'm so tired," she murmured.

"That's what you get for going on a date on a school night."

Jane's tone was teasing, but they both knew there was more to it. She knew that he was hurt at being left behind. She also knew that anything she said about Pike now would just provoke him.

"Well the only date I have tonight is with chocolate ice cream, a hot bath and at least 8 hours' sleep," she responded. "That's if I don't have a nap on your couch between now and the end of the day."

Jane hoped that was all she would be doing tonight. Two nights in a row with Pike would be too much to cope with. He took in the sight of her, relaxed, eyes still closed.

As stunning as she had been dressed to the nines while posing as his girlfriend, this was his Lisbon. The sensible, no-nonsense girl with her hair in waves and her work-appropriate shoes.

He wondered which version of Teresa had truly caught Pike's eye.

Jane needed to put some distance between himself and the object of his confusion and he needed to do it now.

"Since I was so rudely awakened at this ungodly hour, I think I need tea," he said, standing and stretching before reaching down beside the couch to pick something up from the floor.

"Okay…" Lisbon muttered, looking for all the world as though she was about to fall asleep.

"And no napping on my couch. You have work to do."

"Okay.."

Jane reached down, placing something onto the couch next to her.

"I mean it," he said. "We can only afford one serial napper around here."

Lisbon opened her eyes in time to see him walking in the direction of the kitchen and sighed.

She stretched and stood up, knocking something to the floor as she moved.

Bending down, she picked it up, gently turning it over in her hands.

Lisbon smiled at Jane's sweetness, while also dreading his anticipated reaction to the fact that she was seeing Marcus Pike on Friday night.

If this offering meant what she thought it meant, life just got a lot more complex.

Lisbon sat at her desk, placing the origami violet next to the cowrie shell.

It was quite possible she may need something stronger than chocolate ice cream ahead of what could very easily be a sleepless night.


	2. Chapter 2

"She's not here, man."

Call it a sixth sense, but Cho didn't even need to look up from his desk to know that Marcus Pike was lurking in front of him.

"Do you know where she is?" Pike asked.

"Lunch."

"Do you know when she'll be back?"

Cho looked up at the latest question. "How long's a piece of string?"

Pike looked at a loose end for a moment before he glanced towards the couch.

"Jane?"

"Lunch."

Cho knew that Pike was putting two and two together and coming up with five, but he couldn't bring himself to care enough to correct his assumption that Lisbon and Jane were together.

Some people had work to do - though obviously Pike wasn't one of them.

Neither was Jane, come to think of it, but when was he ever?

He had plenty of work to do, though, and the last thing he needed was to get lost in the Bermuda triangle that was Pike, Lisbon and Jane.

Cho looked up again.

Pike hadn't made a move. He looked to be weighing over the possibilities in his mind.

"I'm going to head out for coffee," he said eventually.

"Tell Teresa.. actually don't… I'll call her later."

Cho shook his head as he watched Pike walk away.

Yep. The man definitely had too much time on his hands.

"Hey, what's happening?"

Cho sighed. "Work. You know, that thing most of us do at least between 9 and 5."

Jane grinned. "Someone's crankier than usual today."

Cho turned to watch his blond friend slump into the couch by the window.

"Not really," he replied. "I will be if I keep having to run interference for you though."

Jane raised an eyebrow, "Do tell…"

"Pike."

Jane made a sound somewhere between a grunt and a snort.

"And there's the reaction I was expecting," Cho mumbled.

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning you don't like him."

Jane rolled his eyes, "I hardly know him."

"Since when has that stopped you?" Cho asked. "Bottom line Pike likes Lisbon, ergo Jane hates Pike."

"Come now, Cho. Hate's a strong word. Let's settle for 'dislikes intensely'."

"You say potato…" Cho muttered under his breath.

"There's something not right with a man who's so confident," Jane continued.

"Unless that man's you?"

Cho didn't expect an answer and didn't receive one.

"In case you see him later, he thinks you were out to lunch with Lisbon."

Jane rubbed his hands together. "Excellent. Nice work, Cho."

"No work. He assumed. I'm not getting involved in this soap opera so I didn't correct him."

Jane relaxed into his couch. "This isn't serious, you know."

"If you say so," Cho responded.

"She's not the type to be taken in by someone so blatant in his motives."

"You mean, someone who actually pays her a compliment every now and then? Gee, she must hate that," Cho deadpanned.

"She'll be back to beer and pizza with us in no time, you'll see," Jane sounded as though he was trying to convince himself.

"Not unless she's given a reason to."

"What does that mean?" Jane snapped.

"I think you know what it means," Cho said with a sigh. "If you can't figure it out, talk to Rigsby. I'm pretty sure he has the lay of the land."

"If you're talking about what I think you're talking about, you were pretty adamant you thought I had a snowball's chance in hell."

"I'm discreet," Cho told him. "That doesn't mean I'm blind. Sort it out. And sort it out without messing with Pike, because that'll just piss her off. And make everyone else hate you."

Jane stared at his friend. For the first time in a long time, he realise that Cho really would hurt him if he messed with Lisbon.

He always did like their boss the best out of everyone in the team.

"You about finished, Mr Talkative?"

"Pretty much," Cho responded.

"Right, I need tea," Jane stood from his couch and moved in the direction of the kitchen.

"Yeah, thanks, a coffee would be great, thanks for offering," Cho called out sarcastically.

Jane rolled his eyes. Not even halfway through the day and he'd been turned down by Lisbon and lectured by Cho.

He really needed a nap.


End file.
